All Things Made New

The rains came washing the cold away, making all things new.

When we moved back to the mountains after seven years of being away, our ambitions were high.  The plan was to homestead.  John was going to paint and play music.  We'd travel as a family to festivals to sell his wares and talents.  It seemed a simple plan at the time.  Implementing it was another thing all together.

Plans have changed now and yet things are slowly progressing toward the original vision.  I handle most of the homesteading duties as I tend to homeschooling and homemaking.  Our garden is not a huge plot with a bounty to sell at market.  It is now several raised beds and lasagna beds in our side yard.  It produces enough for our family for two seasons and a bit to can or freeze.  The gardening doesn't take me away from the cabin and is manageable for the girls and I.  

This week we put in strawberries, a variety of lettuces and salad greens, and spinach.  We also joined a program in our region called Grow Appalachia that will support our efforts this season.

Gardening in your pjs is a technique we've mastered.  

We also added two new farm friends to our two cats and twenty chickens.  Snow White and Sunflower are Kiko/Boer mix nanny goats.  They're less than two years old.  Their breeds are good for both milk and meat, however, here they will be lawn care and pets.  I'd love to have fresh, raw, goat milk, but I also dream of traveling.  Asking a friend to milk your goats is a little more than I think we can pull off at this point.  Trying to take it a step at a time.  Thinking manageable.

Plans evolve.  The spring rains wash away the heaviness of the winter and life moves forward into rebirth.  The blessing is that we can adapt as our heart leads.